†These authors contributed equally.
Background: Plasma neurofilament light (NfL) is an intermediate
filamentous protein involved in stabilizing axonal structure and promoting axon
growth. Recent clinical studies have reported increased NfL levels in the plasma
of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients and patients with mild cognitive impairment
(MCI). This study used meta-analysis to evaluate the potential of plasma NfL as a
biomarker for patients with AD and MCI. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Web
of Science databases were systematically searched for studies of plasma NfL
levels in AD and MCI, and a meta-analysis was employed to identify whether it was
suited as a reliable biomarker and discrimination of healthy controls.
Results: A total of 24 published articles that included 2397 AD and 3242
MCI patients were analysed. The level of plasma NfL was significantly increased
in patients with AD and MCI when compared with healthy control subjects (standard
mean difference [SMD]: 14.33 [12.42–16.24], z = 14.71, p